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Topic: North East Ridge of Pinnacle.. (Read 899 times)

So tomorrow is my B-day and i have not been out since Mid August when i got a finger injury. One thing let to another and i got another injury "foot" and busy working.

Anyway i am itching to get out and do some ice hunting but by the sounds of it not much will be found. None the less i just need to get out of the house and blow out the cobwebs. Over on NEICE.COM someone gave a small report on the Huntington conditions being grim and mentioned instead doing The North East Ridge. I have never done this climb but think it sounds like a solid second option i i do not like what i see otherwise.

What i want to know is how exactly to make sure i take the Fairytale traverse variation. The second thing i want to know is how well protected the climb is. I was cozy leading 5.8+ trad in August but that was August and i have not so much as been to the gym.

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DLottmann

If you haven't climbed since August, or "not so much as been to the gym", I would think on-sighting 5.7 alpine trad in 20 degree temps to be a bit "optimistic". And if you want to be "exactly sure to take the Fairytale traverse variation" I'd say you need to go with someone who has done the route before. I've done that variation 3 or 4 times and I'm not sure how I would word it... let me consult the guidebook for a 2nd...

OK, after referencing Handren's new book, IMO the best way to get to the Fairytale traverse is to do the 3a variation (5., then traverse way right, basically all the way out to to the arete that lets you look down into Pinnacle Gully. There is an old pin anchor nearby, that I pass up to climb 20 feet higher to a nice ledge with a beautiful 4 inch crack. I belay here, and the traverse is pretty obvious from this spot.

If I was you, I would go on a great conditioning hike... solid ice conditions will be here soon enough... and rock climbing in 20 degree temps far from the road should probably not be done "right off the bench"...

I kinda figured it hard to find as i did read up on what i could on MountainProject and a minor scouring of the interweb. I don't know why but i figured it would not be in the new North Conway book. If so i guess i should go look for my copy should be very helpful

If you haven't climbed since August, or "not so much as been to the gym", I would think on-sighting 5.7 alpine trad in 20 degree temps to be a bit "optimistic". And if you want to be "exactly sure to take the Fairytale traverse variation" I'd say you need to go with someone who has done the route before. I've done that variation 3 or 4 times and I'm not sure how I would word it... let me consult the guidebook for a 2nd...

OK, after referencing Handren's new book, IMO the best way to get to the Fairytale traverse is to do the 3a variation (5., then traverse way right, basically all the way out to to the arete that lets you look down into Pinnacle Gully. There is an old pin anchor nearby, that I pass up to climb 20 feet higher to a nice ledge with a beautiful 4 inch crack. I belay here, and the traverse is pretty obvious from this spot.

If I was you, I would go on a great conditioning hike... solid ice conditions will be here soon enough... and rock climbing in 20 degree temps far from the road should probably not be done "right off the bench"...

May i suggest a warm up on WG first. It's similar difficulties and might get you used to the cold better

Not a bad idea as i have done it before. I just looked at Handren's book though and it looked like it would be pretty easy to take 5.5 original route. To be honest the 5.7 variation looks pretty straight forward.

Although i am not in peak rock shape. I have been training for ice season for a number of weeks now and am far from outa shape. The cold could make that all a very different experience though. I suppose i will take a walk see what i find and how i feel about it standing under it and then decide. We can always bail and take 93 home check out Cannon and or Rumney or maybe even take 16 and check out Humphrey's or Cathedral.

Either way i am not getting any sleep tonight as i am on the road at 2:30 am. Gotta be back early and if i do find any ice to play on i am sure getting to it early will be very helpful...

The 5.8 is by far a better line, affording better protection, positioning, and movement. If you're not solid at the grade, find a sunny crag somewhere low, the temps are supposed to be warm for a bit. Icy alpine rock will stretch your ability-- no one likes rescues. This is a great time for me to plug Mt. Longstack again..

I climbed it in february of 2009 I think, on an unseasonably 30 degree day. brought etriers, a pretty big rack, and aided everything harder than 5.5, taking the 5.8 variation. definitely doable, though I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I would think the whitney G is a bigger deal than pinnacle in winter, but I haven't done it in winter.